The former director of the Teatro Real in Madrid, battling pancreatic cancer, will attend tonight’s world premiere of the Charles Wuorinen opera that he commissioned on the tale of two loving cowboys.
l video narrated by Charles Wuorinen in English, Spanish subtitles. Brokeback Mountain will be screened online for worldwide viewing via Teatro Real’s Palco Digital on Feb. 7 at 8 pm.http://www.palcodigital.com/brokeback_mountain-directo…/
Players in the financially troubled London Mozart Players have decided to run the show themselves in the hope of saving it from the rocks. They’re a good band, but there’s not enough work to go around the proliferation of chamber-sized orchs in town, some of which get by without paying the players. And local authority funding from Croydon is being squeezed.
Managing director Simon Funnell will lose his job. A shame, he’s one of the more enterprising managers.
Statement:
The London Mozart Players has a major funding problem that has necessitated a re-evaluation of the way in which the management of the Orchestra operates. The Orchestra has become increasingly dependent on local authority grants that are no longer sustainable. The Board has concluded that it has no option but to implement future operations on the basis of freelance and project work. The present Managing Director, Simon Funnell, has therefore decided that this is an appropriate moment, after five years in the post, for him to step away from the Orchestra to explore other career opportunities. The board is grateful to Simon for his success in steering the Orchestra through this difficult period and for maintaining its reputation and artistic quality.
We have mournful news of the death (on Sunday Jan. 26) of violinist Stephen Clapp, a Dorothy DeLay student who became Dean of the Juilliard School, 1994-2007. He was 73.
Stephen was a member of the Oberlin Trio with cellist Andor Toth Jr. and pianist Joseph Schwartz.
Funeral Services will take place:
Saturday, February 1st at 2:00 PM
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Stamford, CT 06901
Cards and notes for Mr. Clapp’s wife, Linda and family may be sent to:
Linda Clapp
325 Valley Road
Cos Cob, CT 06807-1814
Not a lot. Job specs and salary for Angela Dixon’s successor are attached here.
‘Ahhh this is unbelievable !!!!!!!’ cry our friends in Milano. ‘The oldest, largest Ricordi shop in Milano, HOME of Ricordi, in the Galleria, has shut down to become ANOTHER Prada fashion shop! This was THE music shop of Milano in the heart of the city. ‘
A conductor adds: ‘It happen to me at least there times to go there to buy scores for a last minute cancellation of a program. Now there is nothing.’ It is generally accepted that Prada made Ricordi an offer they could not refuse.
So much for tradition.
Following the outcry generated by our posting at the weekend, the newspaper has undergone a change of heart. Here’s a letter from protestor Tommy Smith:
“Dear Supporters of ‘Review all Genres of Music’,
“When I departed home this morning the petition was quiescent at 442 and my bones were unsettled. Having just returned from teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland it’s now ascending at an active 832. I’ve taken time to dutifully read everything everyone has written and I’d like to take this humble opportunity to thank you all; this grand list of individuals from 21 countries, for your time, resolve, passion and creativity. For without whom, this entire petition would not have had the effect to cause such a swift wave in the corridors of power.
“Waiting in my inbox, was an email from the Deputy Arts Editor of The Scotsman, who, this morning brought it to the attention of his management, who, in turned, quickly made money available for the continuation of World, classical and jazz CDs reviews; Weekend Life magazine is also going to thrive.
“There will be no reviews this weekend but the three journalists involved are firmly reinstated, ready to listen, reflect and review World, classical and jazz music for all of us on February 8th. This is especially important to all the homegrown talent in Scotland, as it is a platform to the world stage.
“For me, this, my first petition, was worth the sacrifice of besmirching my name against my hometown newspaper, who I’ve supported all my life, but the principle of injustice outweighed any personal loss to me.
“I ended my petition with the 3rd line in the first stanza of Burn’s ‘Auld Lang Syne’. I will conclude this notification to you all with the 3rd line in the last stanza of the same song. ‘And we’ll take a rich guid-willy waught’; a draught of good fellowship.
“Best wishes from the bottom of my heart.
“Tommy Smith”
Godfather of the 1960s folk revolution, Pete Seeger who has died at 94, was a lifelong social activist who saw no barriers between the music he wrote and sang and the struggle for class and racial equality that he waged. If I Had a Hammer and Where Have All the Flowers Gone were manifestos for the working man and world peace. But Turn, Turn, Turn – equally big in its time – harked back to his scriptural foundations. Everything that Pete Seeger sang was grounded in a clear moral view of the universe, in the American folk heritage and the modernist movement, the last two being legacies from his composer stepmother, Ruth Crawford Seeger. May Pete rest in eternal peace.
The Mayor of Milan has promised to plant 90,000 trees in the Maestro’s memory. His friend, the architect Renzo Piano, will plan the groves.
On Friday, Yovan Markovitch played in the closing concert in Paris of the celebrated Ysaye Quartet, which broke up after 30 years.
Today, we hear, he has rejoined the Danel Quartet in Brussels.
Things happen fast in the football transfer window.
Andrew Patner writes:
The sudden and wholly unexpected death yesterday of Chicago pianist and artistic and organizational force Deborah Sobol is a terrible tragedy for her family and for music and community in our city. Over her 40 years here, Debbie co-founded and led the Chicago Chamber Musicians for 20 years, launched, led, and has been tirelessly expanding Rush Hour Concerts at St James (Episcopal) Cathedral and its educational programs throughout the area, and was the local instigator and anchor of the France-inspired annual Make Music Chicago day.
All of this while being a respected performer, sought-after teacher and studio director, and faculty member at Roosevelt University and other institutions. A source of joy, support, and inspiration to so many, and with her devoted husband, Dr. Rowland (Bing) Chang, a wise philanthropic figure and mother, it’s just impossible to imagine that she is gone in an instant. WFMT, with which she collaborated closely throughout her careers (plural), will broadcast a special program Friday following her memorial service.
Here’s a link to her full, busy life story. And here’s Debbie on the people who came to the concerts she organised:
At one concert a few years ago, a young woman came up to me. She’d just learned that she’d failed the medical board exams, and she was so distraught that she’d run into the nearest open church, which happened to be St. James Cathedral (Rush Hour Concerts’ Summer Series home). She told me that the music brought her back to herself, to the reality that she could take the exam again, this time with more experience. She left calm, restored and encouraged.
Then there’s the homeless man who comes neatly dressed every week, puts 15 cents into our donation box, and sits next to one of Chicago’s philanthropic icons (free admission means no assigned seats), discussing “what we heard last week” and “what we’ll hear next Tuesday.” He leaves connected and dignified.
Wonderful 1930s brochures from Stalin’s Intourist organisation in Ross Wolfe’s blog, right here.
The instruments were taken during a lunchtime break-in on Friday, January 24, in Bremen-Oslebshausen. Violins, violas, cellos, gambas and bows were in the haul. The owner, a private collector, is offering 20,000 Euros as a reward for information leading to recovery of the property. The most distinctive item is a Viennese cello with an angel’s head.
The news has not yet been reported in German media. Contact Germany tel: 0173-9026166. More information below:
Wir suchen ca. 100 antike Instrumente die am Freitag den 24.01.2014 in Bremen-Oslebshausen durch einen Einbruch um ca. 13:00 Uhr abhanden gekommen sind und zum Kauf angeboten werden könnten!!!! Außerdem suchen wir Hinweise auf die Täter! Der Fahrer eines hellen Lieferwagens parkte auf den Gehweg der Oslebshauser-Heerstr. Höhe Fuchsberg! Gesucht werden Zeugen wie Busfahrer, Fahrradfahrer, Fußgänger denen etwas aufgefallen ist!! Sowie Händler denen Geigen, Celli und andere Instrumente angeboten werden könnten. Kontakt: 0173-9026166
Für Hinweise die dazu führen das die Instrumente wieder auftauchen wird eine Belohnung von 20.000,00 € ausgesetzt!!!!!! Unter anderem eine Geige von Leopold Widhalm, altitalienische Geigen mit Zettel Guidantus Florenus, eine Bassgambe mit Puttenkopf, ein Wiener Cello mit Engelskopf, Eine Paul Bailly Geige mit originalzettel, eine Hill and Sons Geige und viele viele andere z.T auch Schülerinstrumente und Instrumente mit restaurationsbed.
Hier nun ein Link auf eine Website, auf der einige der gestohlenen Instrumente aufgelistet sind mit Fotos. http://npatera.wix.com/stolen-instruments-#!instruments/c1q2s
